Implementing the role of patient-navigator nurse at a university hospital centre

<p class="p1">A profile of the role and functions of an oncology patient-navigator nurse (OPN) and the preliminary phases to implementing this role within a team specializing in oncology are first presented. This is followed by a qualitative study that provides a descriptive assessme...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lise Fillion, Marie de Serres, Richard Lapointe-Goupil, Isabelle Bairati, Pierre Gagnon, Michèle Deschamps, Josée Savard, François Meyer, Luc Bélanger, Georges Demers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pappin Communications 2015-03-01
Series:Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal
Online Access:https://canadianoncologynursingjournal.com/index.php/conj/article/view/296
Description
Summary:<p class="p1">A profile of the role and functions of an oncology patient-navigator nurse (OPN) and the preliminary phases to implementing this role within a team specializing in oncology are first presented. This is followed by a qualitative study that provides a descriptive assessment for implementing an initial OPN in the head and neck oncology area of a university hospital centre (UHC) with a supraregional model for oncology. Three groups of stakeholders (individuals with cancer and families, caregivers, network partners) were interviewed on three occasions: before, during and after implementation. The results show that this new role can be integrated within a team specializing in oncology. The beneficial effects of this role on the process of adaptation to illness, interdisciplinary work and continuity of care are described. Several recommendations are formulated, one being the importance of situating the implementation process from an organizational change perspective.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Key words: </span>oncology, patient navigator, cancer control program, implementation, psychosocial adjustment, program evaluation</p>
ISSN:1181-912X
2368-8076